Who Reviews The Abominable Snowmen by Matt Rabjohns

 

Patrick Troughton's second season as the Doctor was most definitely “The Monster Season”. Within this season he met the Cybermen, Ice Warriors, Weed Creature, The Human Monster Ramon Salamander and of course he had a double dose of run ins with the classic Yeti. Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln wrote both stories that featured the Yeti. And both are rightfully remembered as being classic stories from the show. 

The Abominable Snowmen was in many ways quite a straightforward story. The basic thrust of the story is the alien Great Intelligence has taken over the mind of the ruler of a Tibetan Monastery, giving him an impossibly long life and the chance to formulate a plan to take over the planet earth with the aid of its robot Yeti servants. 

The design of the Yeti immediately catches the eye. A brilliant design indeed. Several scenes of this story show off the formidable presence the Yeti have on screen. They are a brilliant menace and rightfully deserve the mantle of one of the most successful creature designs on the show ever, in my own opinion. 

Of course, the Himalayas was a bit of a stretch for the budget of the production team of the time and so the far less grand scenic area of Welsh mountains double for the Himalayas. Despite the fact that there is no real comparison of scenery between these two locations, somehow one does still get the feeling that this story is right in the midst of the Himalayans and within a somewhat claustrophobic area of land, despite the open space! The corridors of Det Sen Monastery too are very pleasingly authentic looking and really convince as to being a place of peace and sanctuary for monks. 

And what to say of the actors who appear in this story? Well, for one, the first appearance of Deborah Watling's Father, Jack, is totally inspired. He was an awesome character and deserves to join the pantheon of those characters who steal the story they are in. Both times Jack lights up the screen, and here in his younger version of Professor Travers he is brusque and unpleasant to begin with, but when he realises his error in accusing the Doctor of the murder of his friend, he becomes far more reasonable and likeable. He is definitely one of the strongest elements of the story and his character is never less than one hundred percent convincing. 

Norman Jones as Khrisong also is superbly performed. He gives the character all the right nuances to make him totally believable as a man dedicated to the protection of his holy sanctuary and outpost. He is richly styled, but one expects no less from the likes of Norman Jones who was a superb actor for many many years. His death was and still is a sad loss to the acting world. 

Wolfe Morris as Padmasambhava is also wonderfully cast. The chilling effect of the control of the intelligence that seems to ebb and flow throughout the story is deeply unsettling and creepy. The way he can speak one sentence softly and then suddenly burst out into a hissing bite of anger is palpably scary and menacing in the extreme. Also, his death scene I do believe had to be cut down for transmission because his decomposing was thought to have been far too horrific for tea time TV. But even so his death is still a very disturbing but also touching scene, as he is so relieved before his death to have reconnected with his old friend the Doctor and be free of the malign intelligence at last. It gives the story a superb ending that rounds off a very very strong and atmospheric adventure indeed. 

David Spenser as Thonmi too is another superb performer. He portrays the slightly naive man with such aplomb that is impossible not to love his character. He is absolutely great in his scenes where he speaks of the history of the monastery with the captive Doctor. 

This is one story that has several brilliant scenes throughout, and the story has one brilliantly humorous scene of the Doctor and Jamie confronting a Yeti outside the TARDIS and Jamie asking the Doctor if he has a plan to distract the Yeti. To which the Doctor highly amusingly replies “Bung a rock at it!” One of the countless joyous scenes of humour that just give a tiny bit of relief to the harder and more deadly aspects of the story along the way. 

Scenes of the control units moving outside their robot yeti frames with the eerie beeping sound that accompanies them are also of great menace and definitely leave one unsettled and on the edge of their seat! 

It is little wonder that the Abominable Snowmen is called a classic. Mind you I believe every single one of the Second Doctor's stories oozed charm and brilliance and were all highly worthy in their own unique ways. Yes, in many ways this may well be one of the stalwarts “Base under siege” that the series made several times. But for me there was never one single boring story of this type ever in the show. And, in fact, The Abominable Snowmen has stood the test of time as one of the highlights of the Patrick Troughton era. It is just such a crushing shame that this story is almost completely lost except for one solitary episode. This is just so sad and devastating as we are now mostly bereft of one of the very best and most atmospheric stories the show ever produced.

Who Reviews The Evil of the Daleks by Matt Rabjohns

 

The Daleks are definitely not my favourite Doctor Who villain. Overall, as a villain I think they are actually overrated and sometimes even a bit silly. For me in the classic era they were far more of a menace and a foe than they ever have been since the show came back. The same old tales come thick and fast but stilted and repetitive scripting does not make for a brilliant villain. And in fact, I rather think the modern era has even made the Daleks laughable sissies. Because Daleks of the classic era of the show never Emergency Temporal Shifted every time, they came across something even they can't handle. EMT just makes them seem like babies and not wanting to stay for a fair fight. Something I feel would make Terry Nation turn in his grave. The Daleks of the classic era at least stayed to the bitter end of a fight. 

And I think the one writer besides Terry Nation himself who really grasped the good aspects of the mutants from Skaro was David Whittaker. For Patrick Troughton's debut story, he made them truly devious and manipulative, and this made for an engrossing and much more fulfilling dalek story. The way the Daleks scheme and plan, minus their guns, is superb and really gave Patrick Troughton a classic introduction to the series. Then at the end of the same season came my favourite Dalek story ever. A story that again brings something new and different to the Daleks in a way the show would never do again. Too often later on the Daleks would become such a generic and uninteresting threat, but not so with the Evil of the Daleks. 

Everything about the Evil of the Daleks exudes superbness. From the rich production values to the acting standard and direction, this story has all the hallmarks of one of the benchmarks of Doctor Who. This is the one Dalek tale I would recommend to anyone. Again, within this story the Daleks are scheming and have really interesting characters. And the superbly designed Emperor Dalek is something to behold. Surely this story has one of the very finest climaxes ever on the show. The Doctor has introduced humanity to some of the Daleks, and this is so novel and brilliant as we hear these Daleks digress to being childlike, to the extent where they play trains with the Doctor. These Daleks then begin to question the orders of the normal Daleks and their Emperor and this leads to one hell of a battle. The final climactic scenes rank as some of the most enjoyable and brilliantly directed scenes in the show's history. At the time this story was to be the last time the BBC would have the monsters on the show, and as a final end this would have been a very high note for the Daleks to go out on indeed. 

We are also treated to the brilliant introduction of one of the most memorable companions of the classic era. Debbie Watling as Victoria is an inspired character. She is fearful and shy, but when she meets Jamie, he immediately takes to her and an immediate and palpable bond between them is born. This story brings Victoria to the series in such a superb way, and Debbie wastes no time in making Victoria brilliant and loveable as a character. 

John Bailey is sublimely cast as Victoria's father, Edward. He portrays the caught and dominated father to award winning levels. And his final sacrifice to save the Doctor from the Daleks marks him as a truly heroic character who overcomes his bondage and thanks to his selfless actions his daughter survives. 

Marius Goring is truly repugnant and evilly sublime as the slippery and slimy Theodore Maxtible. It is delightful to watch this despotic villain think he can stand a chance of defeating the Daleks. Sadly, he only really becomes one and ends up dying because of it. Marius always was a sublime character actor and this was one of his finest performances. 

The element of darkness and manipulation that David Whittaker gives to the Second Doctor in this story makes him all the more mysterious too. Shades of this more manipulative and unknowable Doctor would later be utilised well by Sylvester McCoy, but this is the first inkling we get of a more unknowable and even not completely trustworthy Doctor coming out from underneath the sham of his apparent bumbling demeanour. Indeed, his scenes with the sickened and irate Jamie are some exquisite moments of drama. Jamie even going as far as to threaten to leave him because of his apparently callous and devious attitude. This adds some added extra spice to an already engrossing story. 

It is also special to see stalwart Ice Warrior actor Sonny Caldinez in an actual human role. And as the strong but dependable Kemel he is incredible. His fight with Jamie is superbly conceived and done well. And it's great to see for once in a show of this era to have a strong silent man, still be able to use his brains and in the end, he stops fighting with Jamie and even becomes his friend. There are so many expertly written characters in the Evil of the Daleks. 

One comes away from the Evil of the Daleks with the feeling that this is the core of all that makes the Daleks a good alien. Never once do the reduced and silly new era elements rear their ugly heads here. Instead we have a highly imaginative script that does the Daleks the best justice they deserve. If anyone were to ask me the mammoth of all Dalek stories, I would have no hesitation in stating Evil of the Daleks as the icing on the cake. 

Who Reviews Fury from the Deep by Matt Rabjohns

 

My first run in with Fury from the Deep came when I purchased the audio soundtrack with audio linking narration by Frazer Hines. And to be completely honest with you when I first listened to this story, I wasn't actually overtly sold on it, for some reason I cannot quite put my finger on. But when I heard the awesome news that the story was going to be given the animation treatment, I thought I had to give the story another chance, considering the fact that this story is considered a classic and will probably never be viewable in any other way in my lifetime. So, I purchased it but still with the notion that somehow, I would be disappointed with the story like I was first time round. I couldn't have been more wrong! 

I think it was merely a case of being too young and thinking it was just a tad long for my liking. But now with the benefit of adult patience and viewing eyes I can see just exactly what so many fans are raving about with this superb story. 

Let's start with the story's strongest aspect of all. As the final story for Victoria, as played by Deborah Watling, this is admirably done. It is good to see her given such a resonant and strong exit. Her discontentment at always being frightened wherever she and the Doctor and Jamie go is palpably acted. I would go as far as to say this is Victoria's strongest out-ing on the show. Her final moments with the Doctor are amazingly touching, and the Harris family being willing to take care of her is both charming and yet believable too. It is brilliant for once to see a companion of the classic era get such a strong exit, as seldom in the classic era do, we get superb exits for characters. And Debbie Watling certainly delivers the goods in this glorious final outing for her orphan Victoria Waterfield. To me she was a perfect fit to Pat Troughton's era. She bounced off both Frazer Hines and Pat Troughton superbly so their short time together was still one of my favourite eras in the show! I actually had a tear in my eye watching the farewell scenes! 

What other aspects of the story also commend your attention? Well, there is the sinister combo of superbly freaky characters, Mr Oak and Mr Quill. These two characters exude palpable menace and especially the scene where they gas Maggie Harris is rightfully synonymous with being one of the most treasured and remembered scenes of the classic era. Of the two only Mr Oak speaks, and when he does, he has such a creepy sibilance to his voice that one is at once freaked out to the max by this human who has been taken over by the sea weed creature. 

Victor Maddern as Robson is another serious selling point for the story. He gives a powerhouse performance as the controller of the Base who slowly descends into a manic, and venomous psychosis. He is obnoxious and everything you love to detest in a character. But for once it is good to see that his character does come round after his encounter with the stinging weed creature and does regain some of his humanity that for most of the story has been so entertainingly absent. Victor was an incredible actor and it is great to see him at the height of his powers in this story. 

Another Doctor Who stalwart also gets to put in a smart and nuanced performance too. John Abineri as Van Lutyens is highly credible and his being at loggerheads with the single-track mind of Robson is part of the driving force of the narrative. His determination to get to the bottom of the problem despite the hot resistance of Robson is excellently portrayed. 

One of the very special moments of the animation in particular too is the little nod they throw in to Roger Delgado's Master, as they did with the Faceless Ones animation too. It's lovely to see a tribute to one of the show's most revered characters and actors, and I couldn't help but smile again when I saw his wanted poster on the wall again. It is a thing to treasure! 

The fact that we get to see the very rare occasion of the Doctor being quite flummoxed as to how to defeat the seaweed too makes for a rare moment where we see the Doctor struggling to work things out. Until the genius stroke of writing of having Victoria be the core of the sea weed's demise rears its head in a brilliant and very smart way. But we see here that the Doctor is not always the man with the quick and easy answer to bad situations. The Second Doctor in this story is not completely infallible, and Patrick plays this vulnerability sublimely. Makes you even the more thrilled when he does finally, but only by a whisker, pull through the ordeal! 

The interaction of Jamie and Victoria too is beautifully acted too. You can really sense Jamie's sadness at Victoria wanting to leave the Doctor and him. He even goes as far as to reply with a stab of venom when the Doctor asks of him where they want to go next and he shouts “I couldn't care less!”. The fondness for Victoria will never leave Jamie or the Doctor. As I already said her goodbye is one of the finest the show ever produced. 

So, all in all, Fury from the Deep and it's new brilliant and beguiling animation is definitely a story any stalwart fan of the show has to see. You are missing out on the cream of science fiction if you do not watch this! 

Big Finish Reviews+ The Night Witches

Tony flies with the Witches.

The Early Adventures range of Doctor Who stories reaches right back to the show’s earliest years to create some stories in ways that perhaps have fallen out of favour in subsequent decades, but give them enough of a modern spin to let them intrigue 21^st century listeners.

The fourth series of these Early Adventures kicks off with a new story for Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor and his earliest Tardis crew, Polly, Ben and Jamie.

We’re not in supernatural territory here though – this is not Who Does Harry Potter or Rivers of London. The Night Witches, written by Roland Moore, is a pure historical story, with no aliens, no plots to take over the world – at least none from green, tentacled monsters from the planet Zog – just the genuine push and pull of human history, and the realisation that that’s plenty complicated enough, plenty dangerous enough, and very often plenty fatal enough a thing to go messing about with. The pure historical was baked into the DNA of Doctor Who right from the very beginning, as part of the show’s mission to educate its mainly young audience about historical subjects in an involving way. But kids are kids, and the pure historicals were less popular than the ‘Pow!-zap!-Exterminate!’ playground potential of the science fiction storylines, so they died out after Troughton’s first season in the Tardis.

Big Finish has revived them, and let the later Doctors get in on the purely historical action, but there’s something about the ‘black and white’ Doctors of the Early Adventures range that instinctively fits more with this kind of storytelling – not least because they’d died out before those later Doctors got their Tardis keys, so we’re not pre-trained to hear later Doctors in those stories.

The Night Witches lands the Tardis crew in wartime Russia, with Nazi tanks on the advance, and introduces us to the all-female bomber crew that earned themselves the Night Witch title for their slow, relatively silent bombing raids. To make up for its lack of alien threat, it does pull a sci-fi trope out of its bag though – Polly has an exact doppelganger in the poster-girl for the Witches, adding agreeably to the complications that abound and the potential plot-threads that are spun.

It’s fair to say that angle of the ‘two Pollys’ is needed in this story, which suffers from the precision with which it recreates some of the pure historical stories – by which we mean it spends a lot of time moving people from A-B and then a lot of time trying to move them back from B-A, only to run into complications. What this does is minimise the action elements in favour of allowing us to get to know and care about the period and its people – and in particular in this case, the group of exhausted, starving, intensely brave women who did what they could do to fight the threat of the Nazi war machine. But still, in The Night Witches, there are moments when perhaps a touch more plot wouldn’t go amiss. Moore’s script discovers the plotting button more distinctly towards the end, but even then – and rightly so – the plots that are hatched feel like desperation measures, of the kind you’d expect from a group of young, starving, exhausted, frayed-nerved people increasingly likely to never see another dawn. There’s that feeling of World War I, Somme-like desperation to do anything to avoid going over the top in some strands, and the blank-eyed slablike desperation to do anything that can help them win in some others. It’s all very evocative, and certainly it does the job of putting us in the mindset of the time and place and people we get to drop in on through the magic of the Tardis, but the lack of a particular in-story Big Bad means it can sometimes feel unfocused and scrappy and, to coin a phrase, ‘just one damned thing after another.’

That said, the performances throughout are very good. In particular, the Tardis team are on spectacular form, Anneke Wills rising to the occasion of having a distinctly Polly-centred story with a performance that prints the heart of her companion right on the memory of the listener. Elliot Chapman gets better every time he plays Ben, and here he’s more or less indistinguishable from the original article. And Frazer Hines…there are really too few words for the wonder of Frazer Hines, who not only continues to give us a Jamie as bright and bold and resourceful as ever he was, but also continues to send shivers down listeners’ spines with his intensely evocative take on the Patrick Troughton Doctor. It’s genuinely uncanny, and Moore in this story gives Hines a demented amount to do, not least having heated arguments with himself as the two characters he plays. The three main Night Witches we meet are agreeably distinct - Anjella Mackintosh gives Polly-double Tatiana Kregki a pragmatism that feels real, Wanda Opalinska makes commander Nadia Vasney a classic case of someone who’s been at war too long on too few rations and too little sleep, and Kristina Buikaite gives Lilya Grankin a sweet gaucheness that makes her the most appealing of the three.

The Night Witches is worth checking out, both as a tribute to the real women on whom the story is loosely based, and as a more interesting, richly characterised and female-driven story than many in the history of Doctor Who. If it doesn’t blast the fourth series of Early Adventures off into the stratosphere with a story that demands immediate and repeat re-listening, it does bring it down to Earth and give us an unblinking look at female bravery under extreme duress against the forces of Nazism. Given the world in which we find ourselves, that means The Night Witches is a story that feels unexpectedly appropriate in 2017.